Chin Surgery Palo Alto

Chin Implantation can be done as an isolated procedure or along with another facial surgical procedure. The implants are usually made of silicone and are expected to last a life time. The goal is a pleasing facial balance. Both males and females are surgical candidates. Larger chin implants are indicated in men to produce a strong masculine jaw. Incisions are under the chin or inside the mouth. Recovery is rapid.

CHIN SURGERY OR A FACELIFT

Patients often ask if they need only a small chin surgery or do they need a full necklift – facelift to attain the improvement they seek. We will explore the various chin surgeries and explain the decision process. The factors that determine chin only or face-neck include the degree of deformity, the age of the patient, the skin quality, the bone and muscle structure of the jaw, fat under the chin or lack thereof, the definition of the mandibular border, and the status of the jowls. In brief lets first discuss the mandatory facelift-necklift patient. Please remember that a facelift includes a neck lift. A patient that needs a facelift and has only liposuction of a chin implant will be not happy.

Facelift patients are those that have redundant neck and jowl skin as well as fat. The facelift candidates tend to be 40 plus but the are many chin only candidates up to 50 to 55. If a person has a receded chin they can be a chin implant candidate well into the facelift age and can have a facelift chin implant surgery done at the same time. An older patient with lax skin must not have a liposuction because the neck will look worse and not better. There of course are exceptions if skin is very good and thick.

So onward to the chin implant or liposuction or both for some patient candidates. Chin surgery can be considered as augmentation, as reduction, or as contour of the under chin-neck area. Chin augmentation can be done with silicone implants or bone or cartilage or fillers such as Juvederm or Sculptra or Radesse. The other alternative for improving a receded chin is an osteotomy of the bone and a sliding forward of part of the mandible. Because the silicone implant is easy and does not require extensive surgery, it is popular. The silicon implant in fact works great. There are many sizes and shapes and the correct implant must be chosen for each patient. The artistic talents of the surgeon comes into play here. I prefer the anatomical implants produced by Allergen. Bone grafts and harvesting bone or cartilage is a lot more surgery and expense and this route is only rarely chosen. As a temporary measure Juvederm can be used to enarge the chin. This may last one to three years and it gives the patient a chance to see if they really like a larger and more forward chin.

If a chin is too pronounced a persons appearance is harmed. A very large chin may be ok for a male but it is masculinizing for a female. In the correction of a large forward chin, the surgeon can do various types of bone sliding procedures which work very well. These are called sliding osteotomies. This is designed to give the patient a normal attractive chin. This is a very much appreciated procedure by good candidates.

Either of the above procedures can be combined with a facelift or with simple liposuction of the chin. I will discuss the use of liposuction along the under chin area and mandibular border. I prefer Vaser Liposuction and the Vaser System is now a part of Soulta Medical. The Vaser System is the very best way of doing liposuction and is light years ahead of the laser systems. When performing liposuction the surgeon may choose to reduce a jowl or reduce the chipmunk type mid cheek possessed by some people. Some people are normal weight but have a large fat pad under their chin that harms their appearance. Some people who are overweight also have a fat appearing face. It is very easy to simply melt this fat with Vaser Ultrasound and then suction it out. The fat along the mandibular border and of the jowl and under chin is removed. Th deepens the under chin area and seems to bring the chin forward. Thei is done through tiny incisions under the chin. The fat may be saved and injected into needed areas about the face. Often a chin implant can be combined with this procedure if needed. If a person is very prognathous with a large jutting jaw liposuction may make the jaw seem more prominent and the surgeon must exercise their artistic sense.

The actual surgery procedure for a chin implant is done in the operating room at the office. The patient can be awake or asleeep. The incision is a short 1 inch incision in the mouth or at the sulcus or under the chin. The under the chin incision is more comfortable and really defies detection, but patients are given a choice. Once the incision is made, delicate instruments are used to make a wrap around pocket for the implant. Care is take to not disturb the mental nerve and lose sensation to the lower lip. This rarely happens and when it does sensation always returns. Various implant sizers are then placed and the very best is chosen. The Allergan anatomical implant is then placed in the pocket and the incision is closed in layers. The patient can return to work in 3 or 4 days. Chin swelling subsides quickly and bruising is minimal. Complications are exceedingly rare.

Patients having chin correction are a very happy group. Vaser Liposuction is very effective. Allergan implants of the anatomical variety are the best for chin augmentation. The chin augmentation can be done with a facelift, a necklift, neck liposuction, neck ultrasonic liposuction, neck Lysonix liposuction, ad with chin setback procedures. Of course all liposuction should be precise liposculptire often referred to as HIGH DEFINITION LIPOSCULPTURE LIPOSUCTION. The end result is a handsome masculine face or a beautiful female face.

A one hour consultation at the office of Dr George Commons of Palo Alto will help you understand chin liposuction and sculpture. Photographs are taken and discussion is accomplished. Should surgery be chosen, all procedures are done at the Plastic Surgery Center Palo Alto. The web site of the operating facility is www.plasticsurgerycenterpaloalto.com . At the time of you chin surgery other preocedures can be done including a brow lift, an eyelid lift, a setback otoplasty, a breast augmentation, a breast reduction, a breast uplift, a tummy tuck, or other plastic surgery procedure. If questions email Dr. Commons at drcommons@gcommonsmdplasticsurgery.com or at gwcommons@gmail.com or call at 1-650-328-4570.